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Trailer

The Nightmare Before Christmas

1993Movie1 h 16 minPG

Animation
85
ExcellentGoodWatch score
IMDb7.9Letterboxd4.0/5Metacritic828.4Rotten Tomatoes95%92%

A nostalgic, awe-inspiring fantasy movie about fantasy and pop culture, with standout score and visual style.

Good for date night · family movie night · friends night

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Story

A holiday film for the whole family... except yours.

Tired of scaring humans every October 31 with the same old bag of tricks, Jack Skellington, the spindly king of Halloween Town, kidnaps Santa Claus and plans to deliver shrunken heads and other ghoulish gifts to children on Christmas morning. But as Christmas approaches, Jack's rag-doll girlfriend, Sally, tries to foil his misguided plans.

Feels like

  • Gothic Stop-Motion Classic
  • Danny Elfman Musical Score
  • Halloween-Christmas Mashup
  • Whimsical Dark Fantasy
  • Iconic Jack Skellington
  • High Rewatchability
  • Nostalgic Holiday Staple
  • Visual Artistry
  • Heartfelt Romance
  • Eccentric Character Design

Cast

20 of 20

Crew

Directed by
Henry Selick
Written by
Tim Burton, Caroline Thompson
Produced by
Tim Burton, Denise Di Novi, Don Hahn
Music by
Danny Elfman

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

October 9, 1993 · 1 h 16 min · PG

Released
October 9, 1993
Runtime
1 h 16 min
Age rating
PG
Content
Disturbing Imagery
Genres
Fantasy, Animation, Family
Original language
English
Made in
United States
Budget
$18 million
Box office
$76 million
Available in
84 countries

Tropes

Mad Scientist's Beautiful Daughter, Precious Puppy, Myth Prologue +9

  • Mad Scientist's Beautiful Daughter
  • Precious Puppy
  • Myth Prologue
  • Satan Is Good
  • Creepy Circus Music
  • Cassandra Truth
  • The Faceless
  • Sealed with a Kiss
  • Heroes Love Dogs
  • Four-Fingered Hands
  • The Anti-Grinch
  • Brick Joke

12 of 342 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

7 questions, like "Where can I stream The Nightmare Before Christmas?"

Questions about The Nightmare Before Christmas

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream The Nightmare Before Christmas?

Disney+

In the United States, The Nightmare Before Christmas streams on Disney+. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Fandango At Home. It also streams in 70 other countries.

Is The Nightmare Before Christmas worth watching?

85
ExcellentGoodWatch score

Yes, it's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 85 (IMDb 7.9, Letterboxd 4.0 out of 5, Rotten Tomatoes 95%, and Metacritic 82).

Is The Nightmare Before Christmas okay for kids?

PGDisturbing imagery

Yes: it's rated PG in the United States for disturbing imagery, and the viewing guide lists it for kids.

Is The Nightmare Before Christmas good for date night?

and 6 moreDate NightPartner WatchAdultsFamily Movie NightFriends Night

Yes: romance is 8 of 10, and the viewing guide lists it for date night.

Can I half-watch The Nightmare Before Christmas?

Easy watchDemanding

Yes: it's easy to follow, with complexity at only 4 of 10, and the viewing guide calls it drop-in friendly.

Was The Nightmare Before Christmas a box office hit?

Budget$18 million
Box office$76 million

Yes: it cost about $18 million to make and earned $76 million worldwide, 4.2 times its budget.

What tropes does The Nightmare Before Christmas use?

Mad Scientist's Beautiful DaughterPrecious PuppyMyth PrologueSatan Is GoodCreepy Circus MusicCassandra TruthThe FacelessSealed with a KissHeroes Love DogsFour-Fingered HandsThe Anti-GrinchBrick Jokeand 330 more

TV Tropes lists 342 tropes for it, including Mad Scientist's Beautiful Daughter, Precious Puppy, and Myth Prologue.